Of Ymp and R
by DewNymph
Summary: Formally 'Mirror, Mirror'. Post OotP AU. 12 Grimmauld Place's three occupants try to come to terms with events, themselves, each other and a secret admirer. The war is coming, will Tonks get her moment of happiness, or will she die bitter and alone?
1. Facades

DISCLAIMER: Don't own it blah blah blah J.K.Rowling blah blah blah don't sue me blah blah etc.

Mirror, Mirror

Chapter One: Facades

Tonks dropped her towel and examined herself in the mirror like she did every morning after her shower. She surveyed her appearance, her curves, her face, her hair. On the whole, she was average. Average height, not thin, but not noticeably chubby either. Her hair was still lime green and shoulder length from yesterday, and still wet too. She wondered how to have it today, she was starting to run out of ideas and when that happened, she might actually have to remember what she really looked like. This was easier said than done. Photographs were useless, she looked different in every one, she wished her face had a memory like plastic.

Tonks, the bubbly, energetic, eccentric one, was having an identity crisis. Every morning she looked in the mirror and decided who she would be today, never really knowing who she was underneath.

Her unusual appearance and extrovert nature was merely a facade, hiding who she really was. It worked so well she even hid it from herself. She was a stranger in her own body. No wonder nobody took an interest in her, and she so longed to be with someone, to sense the warmth of another's touch, to feel like she could be truly herself at last. But how could someone love her for who she was if she didn't know herself?

She glanced at the clock and hurriedly picked up some clothes that lay strewn on the floor. How she wished they had gotten there from a longed-for night of passion, but the last time she'd felt anything but lethargy and pain was the night Sirius had died. Tonks threw on her clothes, glancing at the clock again. She definitely wasn't a morning person, whoever she was. She imagined the others' reaction when she finally made it downstairs, Molly's frustration, Remus' smile, disapproving yet jovial, George and Fred's usual greetings, if they were even up yet themselves (though she felt sure Molly would see to that). They were a wonderful bunch on the whole. The Weasleys, while they didn't share her sentiment, seemed to her be the perfect family. Hermione was always seeking knowledge and putting 200 into everything she did. Harry, who took his godfather's death very badly, took some solace in his friends, and in flying, it seemed to almost have a cathartic affect on him. Even Snape was a nice guy when you got down to it, he just didn't like t show it.

It was Remus Lupin; werewolf, that really intrigued her. In many ways he reminded Tonks of herself, hiding his true nature from the world, not letting his real emotions peep through. The difference there, she thought, was that you could always tell when he was hiding something. Whereas with Tonks, everyone took her at face value, she was just a very down to earth, positive, unique young lady, but no-one ever thought that unique often meant complicated.

So who was she really? She was Nymphadora Tonks, the junior auror and metamorphmagus, valued member of The Order of the Phoenix, sworn enemy of furniture and staircases.

She reached the door of her room and hesitated for a moment. She screwed her face up in concentration, turning her hair jet black and down to her knees, and her face altered slightly to more resemble the pureblood, wizarding side of her family.

She turned the handle slowly. She didn't know who she was yet, but for now at least, she would be a dead man's cousin.


	2. Sleeping Dogs

DISCLAIMER: Don't own it blah blah blah J.K.Rowling blah blah blah don't sue me blah blah etc.

Mirror, Mirror

Chapter Two: Sleeping Dogs

As she made her way down the old servants staircase, the smell of stale party nibbles and spilt butterbeer hit her square in the face. She caught her bare toes in a bundle of streamer as she reached the bottom, landing on the floor inches from the wall. She groaned. She didn't feel like getting up. She just didn't have the energy to move today and she wondered why she did yesterday. It would have been an insult if she'd stayed in bed, if she'd wallowed in self-pity, mourning his untimely death. Though the party in his honour wasn't wholly honourable. It had been a complete farce, at least in Tonks' view. There had been a conjured disco, food, games, all the happy things they'd thought Sirius would enjoy. They had all enjoyed it too, or at least that's how they tried to make it appear. But Tonks was good at detecting fakes, after all, she was one big fake herself.

She looked up from where she sat and froze. What vague emotion she had, left her as she looked into the eyes of Sirius' portrait. She felt nothing but the numb emptiness she had felt that day in St. Mungo's, when Remus had told her of her cousin's departure.

There was something deeply familiar in those blank grey eyes of his. Tonks began to remember. Unlike those of his mother and other relatives, this Sirius did not speak, he didn't even move, save for the occasional faint smile for those who missed him. As she gazed at what seemed to be the closest thing to her cousin's ghost, a young hand planted itself on her shoulder.

Tonks half came out of her trance to trace its owner.

"You've been there for four hours Tonks, you alright?" The hand had apparently belonged to Harry, he looked as if he'd been crying, but seemed alot calmer than he'd been these past few weeks.

Tonks sighed as she gazed back at her cousin's picture. Then she did something she hadn't done genuinely in a long time. She smiled. _See ye 'round, cuz_, she thought. She placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, prised herself off of her numb behind, and followed him into the sitting room. He seemed to have grown taller since that night in the Department of Mysteries, he had almost caught her up.

Tonks sat down on the sofa next to Harry, Remus sat in the far chair. There was a book in his lap, but it was obvious he was deep in thought. Tonks sighed again. A part of her refused to mourn Sirius, simply because she feared many others would die in the war to come, probably herself included. Harry looked up as she exhaled.

"You must have lost people before, friends, with your ministry work," He began, half-heartedly debating his intended career choice in his head.

"Of course, it's what Aurors do Harry," She told him hopelessly, not even bothering to wonder where the conversation was going.

"Don't you ever wish you could bring them all back, if you could?"

Tonks sighed yet again. This seemed to sadden the pensive Remus. Tonks turned to look Harry in the eye before she spoke.

"Oh Harry," She said, gripping his arm, "You have to let sleeping dogs lie."

He nodded, then made his excuses and went upstairs to his room.

Tonks considered doing the same.

"You have wisdom beyond your years Nymphadora," Came a hushed voice from the other side of the room. She grimaced at the sound of her first name.

"But not the maturity it seems," Remus teased. Tonks chuckled and threw a cushion at her friend. He yelped in protest and picked it up to throw it back, but stopped dead before it left his hands. He had seen something in her eyes that wasn't there before today. He couldn't quite place it, and though it did remind him a little of Sirius he didn't think it was deliberate this time.

"You have your cousin's eyes," he told her, with a saddened smile. Tonks was starting to remember.


	3. Becoming

DISCLAIMER: Don't own it blah blah blah J.K.Rowling blah blah blah don't sue me blah blah etc.

Mirror, Mirror

Chapter Three: Becoming

Later that evening, Tonks was once again hiding in her room. She remembered Remus' words earlier that day. "_your cousin's eyes_" she recalled, peering into the mirror yet again. She had not remembered changing her eyes since this morning, when they had gone from black to a subtle green. They were most certainly not that now. As she looked closer, almost bumping her nose on the cold glass, she knew what Remus had meant. They were now almost identical to her cousin's. She peered into them and what she saw was not Sirius like she though it would be. On first hearing her friend's words, she had assumed she must have copied the portrait's eyes to an extent, during her hours of staring that morning. What Tonks actually saw in her new eyes was, in fact, herself. She hadn't seen that in a long time.

As she looked at her reflection, it began to change. She hadn't furrowed her brow, she hadn't concentrated, she hadn't felt any pain. She had done nothing to trigger this change. In fact, she would not have noticed it at all had she not been staring at herself in her mirror yet again. She examined the new person that stood looking back at her.

She had the same distant grey eyes Remus had seen and she had to admit that there _was_ something a little Sirius about them. She also had quite a defined brow line, well, she was quite a facially expressive person after all. The shape of her face hadn't altered drastically. It was still quite heart-shaped, though her jaw was a little squarer, resembling her muggle father's. Her nose was no longer the cute button nose she usually preferred, but was instead bigger, more pronounced, even pointed. She knew that to be her mother's, and regrettably her aunts' as well. She had remembered.

Her face was now definitely the one she had been born with nearly twenty-five years ago, but her hair! It wasn't black, or brown, blonde or even red. It was not a normal colour at all, or style for that matter. She giggled at her reflection. She was bald! Tonks took this as a sign she had creative control over that piece of her anatomy. She supposed that her mad hair really was the real her. She thought for a moment and decided on a silver bob and made her way downstairs again.

It was 2.13am, she noted as she stepped into the living room. Everyone's sleeping habits had completely reversed since that fateful night, in fact both herself, Remus, Harry and a few others who'd stayed a night or two, had become total insomniacs. She sat down in a large armchair and hugged her knees silently. She heard the clinking of glass and peered into the kitchen. Remus was there, pouring himself a rather large glass of Firewhisky. Remus looked up, pointed an empty glass at Tonks and raised his eyebrows quizzically.

"Only a small one, I'm not one for liqueur," she lied, recalling the thirty bottles of the stuff she had got through, alone in her room, when she left St. Mungo's and returned to the house of Black. They had helped her deal with it for a while. Not for long though.

Tonks had taken some time off work to deal with it properly. Kingsley, on the other hand, had dealt with it by immersing himself in his work, so much so, she hadn't seen a peep out of him in two weeks. She wondered what the ministry had him doing now that the search for Sirius had stopped. Whatever it was, she felt sure there was a lot of paperwork involved.

Tonks smiled as Remus joined her, handing over her glass and stretching out on the sofa. They sat in silence, sipping the intoxicating warm liquid. It wasn't an awkward silence, more of an agreed respite in pointless small talk, which she knew Remus hated. His sips turned to gulps, then gulps turned to glugs. Pretty soon he would venture back into the kitchen for a new bottle.

Tonks was just about resigned to this, when her eyes came upon the gramophone in the corner of the room. A cunning grin crept over her face. She knew what would keep him from opening that second bottle. She gulped down the rest of her drink and reached for her wand.

With a slight flick of her wrist, Remus' old music player spluttered into action. The upbeat swing jazz took Remus completely by surprise, and did indeed take his mind off the whisky. Tonks craned her head to catch her friend's reaction, a beaming smile erupting from her face. She stood up, walked over to his chair and held out her hand.

"Professor, may I have this dance?" she asked tentatively. Remus did not answer, he simply took her hand and stood up, fearing for his toes.

They danced with surprising ease. Remus was shocked to see Tonks fall over only once in three songs, she was actually quite good. They twirled each other, held each other close, looked deep into each other's eyes, then swung the other around their head. They hadn't danced in a long time. As they spun and entwined they became different people. It was almost as if they became themselves in each other's arms, together they were completely free. As the last song faded into memory, Tonks placed a delicate kiss on Remus' cheek and to her amusement he had blushed. He giggled like a school girl.

Remus thanked her dearly and retired to his room, leaving Tonks alone with the empty silence. Tonks felt happy, and she wasn't happy with that. She flicked her wand at the gramophone and all thought of the fast-paced jazz disappeared as Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata flooded her senses. Much better, she thought, nice and melancholy.

She sat and thought. She hadn't a clue why she felt so alive in her friend's arms, it had been simply amazing. She had felt nothing like it in her life. Tonks decided it was because she really did love Remus. Not in that way, she reassured herself, but as a true friend and in some ways it was much more meaningful to her. She had never had much time for friends since her Auror training, and even before that she hadn't been particularly close to anyone she had called her friend. But now, she felt like she could tell Remus absolutely anything. Now she just had to think of something.


	4. Dreams and Letters

DISCLAIMER: Don't own it blah blah blah J.K.Rowling blah blah blah don't sue me blah blah etc.

Author's Note

Chapter four is now up, woop! I'm not that pleased with it, it's more plotty than character based, which I hate but it's gotta be done if this is gonna go anywhere, so, enjoy, r&r!

Analia's Broom: Thank you so much, my first review, hooray!

there goes my gun: I'm glad you liked the ending, I was going to carry on with it but that just seemed like the obvious place to end the chapter

BlackHorntailJunior: Thanks! I do try to get inside their heads a bit more.

Rider-of-Rohan23: Thank you! I know what you mean about the hair, I'm not sure about it myself. It might change. This didn't start as RL/NT and I'm not sure if it will be strictly that, but it does seem to be going that way doesn't it, hehe. Off to check out your fics : )

RottenTunafish: interesting name and thank you! I always imagined her being sort of insecure about herself but she's the type of person who laughs to hide the tears ye know?

trevor-bruttenholm: thanks alot! Well I guess it's a small fic in a big pond XD Oh he is adorable isn't he? Even when he's an alcoholic.

A big thankyou to everyone else who reviewed, your comments are greatly appreciated and make me feel warm inside!

Mirror, Mirror

Chapter Four: Dreams and Letters

That night (or rather, that morning) Tonks dreamt. She dreamt of a man. She wasn't sure who he was, but she knew him well. He held her near, protected her from harm, he looked after her. She felt his large presence, this was a man of character. He felt a little older than her too. He whispered in her ear.

"_You're safe now Ymp"_

Tonks smiled as the ceiling came into view. A part of her wanted to snuggle deep into the warm duvet and dream more, to discover the man's identity, to see his face. Though the mystery was part of his charm, she mused. The part of her that knew she should really get up kicked in. She sighed happily and threw on her dressing gown over her little blue cotton nightie. She was still grinning when she reached the kitchen.

"Am I the only one behaving normally today?" Asked Harry rolling his eyes at the adults.

Tonks scanned the room. Harry sat at the table munching on some toast, reading the latest edition of the Quibbler. Hedwig stood on the table next to him with her nose buried in a pile of treats, she looked up, seemed to shudder, then returned to them again. There was a fresh pot of tea on the table, along with a small pile of letters. Remus stood hunched over the porcelain sink, he was sipping from a glass filled with a think blue-green liquid.

"Good night Remus?" Tonks enquired, pouring herself a mug of tea from the pot. He was silent. "Remember any of it?"

He turned and joined them at the table, gulping down the last of the foul potion. His hangover was beginning to clear, whoever invented that stuff was a genius, he thought.

"I had a wonderful evening, thank you. I just wish I'd been a little more sober," he remarked, glancing to the stack of empty liquor bottles on the worktop.

"Oh you and me both" Tonks retorted, "I'll make sure you're fully functional next time." She giggled.

"Next time?" Remus puzzled.

"Oh yes..." As Tonks and Remus continued to speak, the colour drained from Harry's face. He swallowed hard.

"Oh dear Merlin!" He cried, stopping Remus mid-sentence. "You're not..._at it,_ are you?" He sounded absolutely horrified.

"No!" They jumped in together, probably a little too soon to dispel Harry's suspicion.

"Of course not Harry," Tonks said, looking at Remus looking back at her.

"That's ridiculous Harry," Remus chimed in, looking at Tonks looking back at him.

Tonks paused. She wasn't looking at him any more, she was scowling. "Why is it ridiculous? What's wrong with me?" She teased, doing her best to sound genuinely hurt. It seemed to have taken Remus by surprise.

"W-well nothing," he stammered, not really sure what to say. He was still mildly hung over.

"You're not such a great catch yourself, ye know," She said, standing up and walking behind him. She picked up a wet tea towel and flicked it at him as they both burst out laughing. This went on for about five minutes. By the time the pair of them had calmed down, Tonks was lying on the kitchen counter, Remus had fallen on the floor, and Harry, Harry just looked confused.

Remus picked himself up off the floor, clutching his aching abdomen and dragged himself back onto his chair. He thought he ought to clarify things, given Harry's bewildered expression.

"Harry, Tonks and I are not, as you say, 'at it', and we.."

"Weren't 'at it' last night" Tonks piped in, sliding off the counter and back to the table.

"And though Tonks is a wonderful woman"

"And Remus 'ere's a marvellous chap"

"We are good friends, no more"

"No less" Tonks finished. Harry seemed satisfied with that, though he wondered what really did happen last night. He shoved some more toast into his mouth and passed the post round. It was uncanny how owls knew where they were, even though they weren't officially living there. Tonks suspected there still might be a few bits back at her flat, some owls were definitely not as clever as others.

Today, Tonks had three letters. One was actually addressed to Remus as well as herself, she wondered why Harry had given it to her, it definitely looked like Dumbledore's, Order business presumably. She put it back on the table between herself and Remus, in case he was done first. She wouldn't normally put such an important owl to one side, but she had just recognised the handwriting of the second letter.

"'Bout bloody time!" She thought aloud, as she opened the letter from her favourite colleague.

"_Dearest Nymphadora_,

What on Earth is that s'posed to mean? Could be code, she thought.

_How are things? Hope you are coping looking after the two of them. Hope you're getting your head around things, I certainly am_. I'm glad you are, guess I am too.

_Work is dull, they have me chasing after some magical creatures that escaped from a university since we closed the Black file, lots of paperwork._ I knew it! So glad I took time off._ I think some you-know-whats might have let them out as a diversion, but I'll talk about that more when I see you. _Hmmm.

_I am sorry I haven't replied to any of your letters 'til now, I've been very busy, and, well, I didn't know what to say. I have missed you, _

Oh? She thought

_we all miss you at the ministry._

Oh. She felt a little disheartened

_The office really isn't as bright without you. _

That's sweet, but it won't get you off the 'dearest' remark, she thought.

_Well, I guess that's all for now, don't feel you need to reply any time soon._

Not gonna happen

_I'll see you soon,_

_Kingsley"_

Tonks was definitely on a high today and Kingsley's letter only increased it. Tonks was in such a good mood that she was almost bouncing in her seat, which her two companions thought highly amusing. Grinning, she turned to the third envelope. The writing was definitely familiar but she couldn't quite place it. As she tried to remember where she had seen it before, the writing did a strange thing. Her eyes widened as some of the letters disappeared. For a few seconds, _Nymphadora Tonks_ became _ymp._


	5. A First Glimpse

DISCLAIMER: Don't own it blah blah blah J.K.Rowling blah blah blah don't sue me blah blah etc.

Authors note: Okay, now it gets confusing. I have no plan for this, so unless I get suggestions this will just go with the flow I guess. This chapter's a bit short, but I figured it should stop there (plus I like to tease you guys, hehe). R&r, like I know you will!

Rider-of-Rohan23: I'd say it'll be more like a love hexagon by the end, lol. Guess it goes to shows how adhoc this fic is.

trevor-bruttenholm: Thanks, I'm glad they come across like a little familly, I guess the oddballs go together well!

BlackHorntailJunior: I know what you mean, I think I may have read too many RL/NT fics as well, but I am determined this won't be as straight forward as that. (It never is, is it, heh).

Big thank ye to Analia's Broom and Megaroony, you reviews are very much appreciated. Now on with the story!

Mirror, Mirror

Chapter five: A First Glimpse

Tonks gazed at the greyish parchment. Had she imagined it? There was no proof either way, her full name was back as if it had never left. Tonks wanted to open it as soon as possible, but she didn't want to do it in front of Harry and Remus. Some things were just best done alone. She crammed the letter into the pocket of her dressing gown and turned her attention back to the room.

Remus had picked up the letter addressed to both of them, once he had finished reading it, he read it aloud for Tonks' benefit.

"Dear Remus and Tonks,

I hope you are both well, please extend my regards to your young companion. Moody and myself shall be paying you a visit some time before the summer is out, and will also be visiting our dear Mrs. Black this weekend. I would be grateful if you would join us, as I'm sure would she, I dare say she will give us a warm reception.

Sincere regards,

Albus Dumbledore"

Tonks chuckled. "Oooh that was sloppy," she remarked on the not-so-subtly coded message.

"Hmm?" Harry managed, his mouth full of tea and toast. He clearly needed a little clarification.

"My great au.." Tonks was loathed to call her family. "Mrs. Black happens to share her birthday with my mother, which happens to be this coming Friday, so..." She waved her hands to encourage Harry to carry on the train of thought.

"...So.." he began. "So that means Dumbledore's coming to see her on Friday, and since she's long dead and her portrait is here..." Remus and Tonks watched patiently as the cogs whirred round Harry's brain.

"..There will be an Order meeting here on Friday." He looked pleased with himself.

"Very good Harry" Remus said, helping himself to more tea.

"We'll make an Auror of you yet," Tonks winked across the table, subconsciously fingering the paper in her pocket. She'd taken time off work, but the Order was too important to forgo. This was war after all, and despite the losses they had suffered, it wouldn't wait for you while you took a holiday.

The thought of the meeting changed the happy mood of the room to a much more sombre one. Friday's Order meeting would be the first without Sirius present. It would be much quieter without his arguing with Severus and his understandable constant whinging over being stuck indoors.

War waited for no dead man.

This time Tonks didn't bother trying to lighten the mood like she normally would. The three of them simply sat in silence for a good long while, until Tonks decided it was perhaps time she got dressed.

She got to her room and shut the door behind her. Still leaning on it, she took out the envelope. She wanted desperately to know who it was that kept calling her Ymp, but at the same time she didn't want to know. There was definately something a little sinister about this.

She bit her lip and opened it.

_Ymp,_

_I apologise if this seems a little unexpected, but I felt it was time to write to you. I have noticed you from afar, admired your beauty, in whatever form you chose to take. Despite your best efforts to prevent the real you being seen, I believe I have caught a glimpse of it, and it took my breath away. The way you bunch your nose when you change, even the way you fall over enchants me. There is so much more to you than meets the untrained eye, your beauty runs so much deeper than most, and, if I may, I would like to get to know the real Ymp a little better. I'm sure you would feel uncomfortable with a meeting at this stage, and I'm sure I would be far too nervous to be able to even pretend to be worthy of one such as yourself. I simply ask for correspondence for now._

_Affectionately yours,_

_R_

_P.S. The owls will find me_


	6. A Secret Reply

DISCLAIMER: Don't own it blah blah blah J.K.Rowling blah blah blah don't sue me blah blah etc.

Author's note: Here's number six, they seem to be getting longer, woo! I have to say I'm having fun writing the letters, though it'll be more fun when I pull the rug from under you all! Hehe.

I'm thinking of changing the title since it doesn't seem to fit anymore and I'd really appreciate some suggestions based on what you've read so far. I was thinking 'All About Chemistry'

Also, I actually have a rough idea of where this is going now, and I've planned the ending. What happens in between though is as much a mystery to me as it is you. Anyway, more r&r please!

There goes my gun: how many? lets let Tonks figure it out shall we?

Rider-of-Rohan23: Would I make it that simple? Knowing how fun it is when you're all confused? I think not ; ) As to the soliloquy, go for it! Maybe when it's up we can link to each other's work or sommet. I'll be very impressed if you manage it, I can't seem to do them without it turning into some kind of social rant or the character becoming me, lol.

Deadly-Viper-Assassin: Typical? Maybe so far, let's see what you make of the next few. And I rarely know what's going on.

Analia's Broom: Thanks a lot! And I can safely say that it's not Ron :P

BlackHorntailJunior: Glad you liked it, it was sort of a self-parody, takin the mick out of my awful attempts to write code.

Abesapien: hehe, thanks, keep reading!

Trevor-bruttenholm: Oh I know! Chapter eight is going to be so much fun to write with all the other characters turning up. I just love the Weasleys! I've already started writing some of their bits, though I know I should do number seven first, lol.

Mirror, Mirror

Chapter Six: A Secret Reply

Tonks was stunned. She read it over and over again, not quite believing that this was meant for her. The closest thing she had ever had to a secret admirer was when someone sent her a valentine's card during her sixth year at Hogwarts. She never did find out who it was from, probably just a practical joke from a Slytherin, she had thought at the time, but you never know.

Tonks did not however, think this was a joke. It was very serious, and Tonks wasn't used to being serious. It was refreshing. So was the genuine honesty of R. She was touched by him, at least she hoped it was a 'him' she thought, feeling slightly concerned. His words had reached a part of her she never knew existed, though he clearly knew of it. It was the part of her that longed to be loved, and to love in return, and now it could at last.

This was ridiculous, she told herself, she couldn't feel something for a man who had written her one single letter professing his love for her and declared nothing about himself. She didn't even know his name. Or maybe she did.

Tonks pondered 'R' for a moment. Who did she know who's name began with an R?

Well there was Remus of course, and a small part of her wished it had been him, but it seemed too obvious.

Hagrid was a Rubeus wasn't he? Tonks reckoned she hadn't spoken to him more than five times during her years at Hogwarts and had only met him a few times since. Besides, wasn't he seeing a French woman now?

Hmm.

There was also her aunt Bellatrix's husband, Rodolphus, and his brother Rabastan, but they were a little too far fetched.

And Ron would just be ridiculous.

She did recall a Reggie, he was a clerk that popped his head in occasionally at work, but as far as she could tell, he was probably gay.

The only other R's she could think of were either dead relatives or Quidditch players, and some of those were dead as well.

Tonks decided to gain a little more information on him. She walked over to the small desk, pulled out some parchment and began to write.

_Dear R,_

_Thank you for your letter, it made a perfect day even better. I am quite flattered by your words, no-one's ever shown interest in me that way before, never. I've always been a good friend, like a sister, or at the other end, a potential shag._

_That said, I couldn't possibly fall for someone that has told me nothing about themselves, other than the fact that they fancy me. So, mysterious R, I would like to know all about you. What line of work are you in? What do you do in your spare time? etc. This seems only fair as you seem to know all about me. _

_I eagerly await your reply._

_Not yours just yet,_

_Ymp_

_P.S. I base relationships largely on chemistry, so we will of course, have to meet eventually._

Tonks put down her quill and examined her letter. Her handwriting was appalling, she wrote so much neater in a biro, but they weren't in abundance in a wizarding household. She picked up a fresh piece of parchment and wrote the letter out again. Still no good. By her sixth draft, she realised just how stupid she must have looked had anyone been watching, and decided to leave it at that. She folded the paper carefully and dripped a little pink wax onto it. She waited a moment for it to solidify, then turned it over. She took up her quill again and wrote 'R' in her purple ink. Then, for some reason, the picked it up and kissed it. She wasn't wearing lipstick, but she felt sure he would know.

Tonks put the letter back on the desk and proceeded to get dressed, thinking about the day ahead of her. She would have to find some way of sending her letter without the others knowing. She could use Hedwig, but only if the other two weren't around. Otherwise she'd have to send it when she went into Diagon Alley for her mother's birthday present. She knew she'd left it late, but she really hadn't been in the mood to go shopping lately.

Tonks emerged from her room a few minutes later, dressed in her favourite torn jeans, a white t-shirt with the words 'witch not bitch' emblazoned across the front in pink, and a green army jacket. She'd picked up the t-shirt and jacket from her favourite muggle part of London; Camden. It was great for her type of thing. She pondered visiting today, but decided against it as she'd have to take the tube so as not to arouse suspicion, and she really didn't have the time for that.

She hurried down the stairs to find Harry and Remus in the kitchen preparing lunch. Had she really been that long? Remus gave her a despairing look as the two disappeared into the sitting room with their plates of sandwiches. As she went to make her own, she noticed Hedwig fly in through the open window. She sighed with relief, she wouldn't have to sneak around London after all. She put down her plate and took out her wand.

"Accio letter" she whispered and watched it fly into her waiting hand. She attached it to Hedwig, whispering her thanks and asking her not to tell Harry. The owl chirped. Tonks seemed satisfied with this and handed her a small treat before she flew off again. Tonks quickly finished making her peanut butter sandwich and joined the her friends in the other room. When the incessant munching began to cease, Tonks opened her invitation to the two of them.

"I'm popping into London in a bit, either of you want to come?" She asked, swallowing the last morsel of bread.

"I will," Harry said, he was starting to feel some of Sirius' chlostrophobia. "What are you going for?"

"Mum's birthday present" She replied, "Friday remember?" She looked over to Remus. He seemed unusually quiet, well compared to the morning anyway.

"You gonna join us Reme?" She hoped he would, he could do with some fresh air before the full moon on Sunday.

"Ah, no, no, I have ahem things to do," He replied hastily. He was definitely behaving oddly, even Harry seemed to notice it. She decided not to press him, he was clearly not it the mood for it.

"I'm gonna go grab my coat, I'll see you in the hall in ten minutes?" Tonks saw Harry nod, looking a little puzzled, as she headed back upstairs. She was halfway up when she realised she was already wearing her jacket and went back down again. Her mind hadn't quite been on planet Earth since she first read R's letter. As she stood in the hall waiting for Harry, her purple eyes came across the Black family tree tapestry, lingering on the two burnt holes. One where Sirius' name once was and the other which used to read 'Andromeda Black'. She stepped up to it and traced the holes with her fingers. She knew what her mother would like. It seemed so obvious, Tonks couldn't believe she hadn't thought of it before. Her's would be the perfect gift.


	7. Sighting

Author's note:

Getting into the action now folks, plus a few more characters. This one's longer than the others, but not as funny. The next two chapters are in development and I'll write them soon, but I'm trying to work on some original prose for uni right now, plus I just joined an HP RPG, busy busy busy.

Analia's Broom: Thanks! I have my eye on one like that from CoS Pagan radio's store :D

Deadly-viper-assassin: Action? Which kind? ; ) hehe Hope this is okay for now, and I'll try not to pull that rug hard, really I will.

Izy: Is that English sweetheart? Hehe, I shall take 'yummy' as a compliment. And no, not Ron.

Abesapien: I'm afraid I can't say who it is or isn't, not yet. The oddness will be half revealed in chapter 8, half in the last chapter, so stay tuned!

Rottentunafish: Thanks, I'm trying not to rush it, I'd like Tonks and R to have quite a developed relationship before they finally meet up. And they will, never fear.

Mirror, Mirror

Chapter seven: Sighting

Having fallen over the umbrella stand again, Tonks and Harry floo'd over to Diagon Alley. They appeared in the fireplace of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, much to the surprise of it's owners. The place was full of people, and most seemed to be buying things. The pair wandered around the shop, the twins had definitely been busy. There were a lot of new products on the shelves and Harry suspected the best was yet to come. They strolled over to the till, where George stood, happily serving customers.

"Business booming I see," Tonks noted, smiling.

"Tonks! Harry! How are you both?" George said enthusiastically, putting a large quantity of Skiving Snack boxes into a paper bag for a nervous-looking teenage girl.

"I'm okay I guess," replied Harry, "under the circumstances,"

George nodded sympathetically. "And Professor Lupin? He's alright too?"

"As well as could be expected," Tonks sighed, a small wave of sadness spreading across her face. "I'll tell him you asked." Fred was now waving like a maniac from the top of a ladder, at the other side of the crowded shop.

"Well, we'd better go get my mum's present," Tonks said, waving back at Fred. "We'll probably pop back later though."

"Okay, see you," said George. "Oh oh, Harry, wait a minute!" Harry stopped and came back to the till while Tonks waited at the door.

"Take one of these," George said, passing him a bowl of free samples. Harry picked up a small, bright purple gobstopper. "They were my idea, whatever Fred'd tell you." Harry rolled the little globe between his thumb and forefinger.

"What does it do?" He asked, not wanting to try it himself knowing it's origins.

"Well I'm not really sure. It does something different for each coloured layer and I haven't worked them all out yet. The free samples have helped add to the list though," he giggled, handing Harry a small piece of parchment. "Here's what we've got so far, if you find any others let me know, yea?" Harry nodded and followed Tonks onto the busy street.

"So you know what you're going to get her?" asked Harry, putting the gobstopper and parchment into his pocket for safekeeping. Tonks nodded, looking around like she couldn't quite remember where she was going.

"So where're we headed?" He asked.

"Watson, Blithrom and co." She said, remembering the way, and led Harry to the alley which sat between two packed wizard clothes shops. They didn't have to go far before they reached a small door in the wall. On it's small window read the words:

'_Watson, Blithrom & Co._

_Repairers and creators of fine tapestries_

_Since 1786'_

Tonks knocked on the door, hoping they were open. From her remote knowledge of the place, she recalled it had very bizarre opening hours. To her relief, the door swang open with a creak and they stepped inside. They found themselves in a hall with nothing in it except a rickety stairway and a few posters on the walls. They made their way upstairs. Tonks was quite pleased to have only tripped up two steps out of the lot. They seemed to be above one of the clothing shops, in a surprisingly bright room. It had two big windows which made up the end wall, there was a desk with two chairs, and also a small sofa scattered with outdated copies of Witch Weekly and The Quidditch Journal.

Tonks stepped up to the desk and rang the small call bell as Harry sat himself down on the sofa. It rather reminded him of his Muggle optometrists. A few seconds later, a man far younger than Tonks was expecting appeared through a door near the sofa.

"Good afternoon miss, Seldus Blithrom, how can I help?" He held out his hand, sounding more like a solicitor than a weaver. As Tonks explained what she wanted, Harry lost interest and picked up an issue of The Quidditch Journal. There was a double-page review of the Nimbus 1000, various league tables and some interviews with players and managers. It was an old one. He was sure it had been very interesting at the time, but he soon grew bored with it, and his attention turned back to the room.

"Friday? Yes, nine days should be long enough." Blithrom said, making notes on a piece of parchment.

"No no, this Friday," Tonks explained. This was her own stupid fault. "It's a present see?"

"Hmm, I'm really not sure that's possible," he told her, trying to sound as nice as possible. Harry switched off again when Tonks started flirting with poor Blithrom, and went back to the ancient magazine.

"A pleasure doing business with you miss Tonks," Blithrom said. Tonks was sure he winked at him.

"I'll see you first thing Friday then Seldus," She smiled back, grabbing Harry and leaving as quickly as she could without it being obvious she was doing just that.

"So was there anywhere you wanted to go since I'm all done?" Tonks asked as they re-entered the busy main stretch of Diagon Alley.

"Well, maybe we could have a look in Quality Quidditch Supplies," Harry suggested, thinking he'd like to pick up a recent copy of the magazine. He looked at Tonks, who hadn't moved. She was staring at something across the street looking very worried. And with good reason. Amongst the usual bustling crowd, she had spotted someone who, if he had any common sense, should not be there. Tonks had made eye-contact with Rodolphus Lestrange. Her hand went immediately to her wand but she didn't use it. The Aurors had been permitted to use Unforgivables when it came to certain individuals, but it was too dangerous here, there were too many people.

"Stay close Harry, do not lose me," She told him, her usual jolly tone was obviously missing as she fixed her eyes onto his. Tonks blinked. He was gone.

"Come on Harry, we have to go," She told him, taking hold of his arm and leading him away. "Now Harry!" She was almost shouting, panic was clearly on the verge of taking over. She led Harry back into Weasley's Wizard Wheezes as quickly as she could.

"Fred, George, I have to go to the ministry, Auror business," she told the twins. "Look after Harry, if you see anything remotely odd he's to floo to my flat, understood?" The three boys nodded, feeling rather intimidated by Auror Tonks.

"I thought you were on holiday?" Harry asked.

"An Auror's job is never done Harry," she said, backing away from them. Without realising who she sounded like, she shouted back "Constant vigilance!" and apparated to Kingsley's office.

With a loud crack, Tonks appeared in front of Kingsley's desk, causing him to drop a bundle of parchment and go for his wand.

"Tonks, you're not back 'til next week," his deep voice boomed.

"Rodolphus Lestrange in Diagon Alley," she panted, seemingly out of breath.

"Are you serious?" He asked, taken completely by surprised.

"Deadly serious," she choked. "He saw Harry and me."

"Is he alright? Where is he?" he asked, walking to the door and shouting. "Level 9, Diagon Alley, number two present!" Tonks saw several of her colleagues rush past.

"He's fine, I left him with the Weasley twins," she told him. Kingsley turned red.

"You did what!?" he screamed. He was clearly under a lot of stress at the moment.

"Oh come on! They're both of age now, they're good wizards when they put their talents to something other than mischief." She wasn't so much defending them, as her decision to leave Harry in their hands.

"That's as maybe, but I think you should go and take him back home."

"Of course." Tonks said. "And I think you should switch to decaf." She poked a pink tongue at him. He was not amused.

"Nice reflexes by the way," she told him, as she left with a crack.


	8. Ties, Brooms and Bonbons

Author's Note: Here it is folks, the real chapter 8. The next few should be along soon, now my uni work is all (but one) finished, and I thank you for your patience. I will finish this fic if it kills me, promise!

Mirror, Mirror: Chapter eight

Ties, Brooms and Bonbons

Tonks re-appeared in the twins' shop with a crack and was relieved to see all was well. The bustling street outside was normal, the occupants of the shop unharmed, it seemed her uncle had left without anyone else noticing him. She wondered if this had been deliberate, an attack on the moral of the Order, or perhaps the young Auror's presence had simply prevented him from wreaking the havoc he had intended to. Tonks looked around and quickly spotted the shaggy orange noggin of one of the twins.

"Tonks!" Shouted George, running to meet her by the fireplace.

"Where's Harry?" She asked, having failed to spot him in the flurry of customers.

"'s'okay Tonks, Fred took him to the cellar," George told her, holding out a bowl. "Bonbon?"

"Er, maybe later," she said feebly, walking off to grab Harry. She did like the twins; she'd trust them with her life, just not her dinner.

As Harry and Tonks stepped up to the Black residence, Hedwig appeared above them. She dropped a letter into Tonks' hands, then perched herself on Harry's arm. Tonks managed successfully to enter the house (though success was not without door frames, shoulders and the meeting thereof) and stopped dead in her tracks. As she and Harry stood in the hall, they were greeted by the familiar, if 50 decibels louder than normal, music of her favourite rock band; The Weird Sisters. Too perplexed to quickly shove the potentially incriminating letter into a pocket, she walked down the hall slowly, in search of the source of the music. It got gradually louder as she neared the living room door. She walked past it a little, and sure enough it faded. Tonks swung the door open, and found to her surprise a rather unusual sight.

Remus' old gramophone was cranked up as high as it would go, the sofa cushions were scattered all over the floor, and a rather inebriated Remus Lupin with his tie around his head, playing air guitar on Tonks' broom.

While Tonks first thought it to be hilarious, she maintained her role of joint head of household. She folded her arms, raised her eyebrows and threw him a disappointed look. She walked over to the gramophone, switched it off and removed her picture-disc vinyl from its turntable. She didn't remember this until later on, but this particular rare album was so dear to her heart that she kept it, not with the rest of her records, but in her knicker draw.

"You, sit. Harry, coffee, lots of coffee." The two men obeyed without hesitation. There was something about her tone that said she'd had just about enough messing around for one day.

"Remus Lupin, what are you doing?"

"Well, well you seemed to think sho, ssho much of them, I thought I'd see what the fuss was about," he said, playing sheepishly with his fingers and staring at the floor.

"You seem to like them," she said, relaxing her stance.

"They've grown on me," he replied.

"So have molluscs," Tonks said, rolling her eyes to the ceiling. Remus seemed to panic for a moment, then returned to his happy drunk self.

"Who's the letterrrr from? Shomeone special?" Remus asked, giggling like a teenager when approached by the opposite sex. Tonks remembered the letter Hedwig had dropped and examined the handwriting. It was R's latest reply. Was Remus just being drunk, or did he genuinely know something? Tonks figured he wouldn't remember if she gave him a quick interrogation anyway, so she went for it.

"Remus, do you know anythi.."

"Coffee!" Harry had appeared in the doorway clutching the biggest mug he could possibly carry. Tonks groaned, never mind, she thought. She had a funny feeling she'd get to the bottom of it even if she didn't want to. Harry put the mug on the table next to Remus, who promptly began snoring.

"Oh well, least he was in a better mood this time," she sighed. Tonks tilted her head and gazed at Remus for a moment. She had to admit he looked sweet when he slept, even when he had a tie on his head. She caught Harry staring at her, looking rather confused. A common sight in their presence.

"What?" She asked. "Haven't you got homework to do, Slytherins to maim?"

Harry shrugged and went upstairs. Tonks sat herself down next to the snoozing Remus and pulled out the parchment. She opened it carefully and read:

_Ymp,_

_How formal one gets when putting quill to parchment! Where are your soft London tones and bizarre expressions? I have to say I am quite disappointed, but I would not be much of an admirer if I was put off by that._

_It was indeed rude of me not to tell you a little about my humble self, but I was afraid you would have jumped to conclusions about my identity. You would probably have been correct of course, but I was not ready for things to be out in the open. I have no profession as such; I've dabbled in a number of occupations but have yet to find one that suits me. I am very keen on good literature, entertaining records and fine spirits. I am not really one for socialising due to my unfortunate circumstances, but I'm sure we would get along fine. In fact, I'd be rather distraught if we did not._

_I'm afraid that is all I can give you for now, except of course, my undying love._

_Yours,_

_R_

_P.S. Without wishing to sound like a stalker, we HAVE met, many times._


	9. The Moment Draws Near

Author's Note: I have now written the ending and, well, let's just say lots of people will die. Not 100percent sure who yet, but lots of characters. I would once again like to thank my lovely reviewers, and to apologise for the depressing nature of the final chapters. I promise no more humour I'm afraid. Anyway, on with the story!

Mirror, Mirror

Chapter 9: The Moment Draws Near

_Dear R,_

_Romance is formal! You can't tell me you've never read any Jane Austen. No, one must not dispense with the formalities until the wedding night, where both parties should be completely confused and somewhat disappointed and I've lost my trail of thought._

_Anyway, thank you for telling me a little about your humble self, but you have done anything but soothe my curiosity, in fact I would like to meet you more than ever. Properly that is, in a pub or something, whatever you'd feel happiest with. I'm very busy this weekend, but the week after is pretty much empty. Entirely up to you I suppose, but I feel I should warn you that I shall not reply to another letter unless it is to arrange a meeting. I'm getting rather impatient, I'd really like to know who this man that's got me all of a fluster is. I'm sure you understand._

_Almost yours,_

_Ymp_

_P.S. Yes, you DO sound like a stalker._

Tonks hastily sent Hedwig off with her letter and set off for her parent's house. She decided to fly, she needed a little time to think. Tonks wondered if she had made the right decision by sending the letter. Whatever she was currently feeling for this mystery man, he could be anyone. He could be that weird lad from the ice cream shop, or a mass murderer, or worse; the man of her dreams. She doubted it would be the latter, though she was curious to know what he would look like. Whoever he was, he would almost certainly be 'complicated'.

Tonks' trail of thought was broken by the splash of water that landed on her nose, which was her own today. She looked up and saw the clouds surround her, turning black as she watched them. What the hell? She thought aloud. It's bloody August!

The wind was building up fast, as was Tonks' foreboding. For some reason she couldn't quite place, the storm . Tonks tucked the tapestry tighter under her arm and picked up speed. She didn't want to face a storm in t-shirt and shorts, and she certainly didn't want to ruin the expensive repair work. Luckily she managed to reach her parents' house before the storm reached it's peak. She was, however, still rather wet when she crash-landed in the front garden.

Her parents had predicted this of course, and had a warm towel and a mug of cocoa waiting for her. As they sat down in the living room and Tonks warmed up slowly, she pulled out the rolled up tapestry and a rather soggy card. She stood up and handed them to her mother and hugged her, trying not to get her wet.

"Happy birthday mum," she said with her biggest grin, then went to hug her father. Tonks returned to her chair. Andromeda reached for her wand and dried off the card, tapestry and daughter with a quick flick of her wrist. Ted perched on the arm of Andromeda's chair and watched as she unrolled the thick fabric. She studied it silently for what seemed like several minutes, her expression unchanging. Tonks shuffled forward in her seat nervously. Then Andromeda stood up and thrust the tapestry into her husband's hands so fast that Ted was now clutching his chest and looking rather worried. Andromeda stepped forward and pulled her daughter into her arms.

"It's perfect Nymphadora! Thank you dear." She said, as Tonks turned blue through no will of her own.

"Pleasure," she coughed. Her mother let her go and walked to the window. Outside, the storm raged, lightning flashes far in the distance as the rain pounded on the glass.

"Family's a strange thing. You might not always like them, but they're always there." Her mother said, gazing into the storm. Tonks had often wondered whether some of the 'seeing' genes lurking in the Black family had been passed to her mother. She was sure she didn't have visions or things like that, but sometimes the things she said made Tonks wonder.

Andromeda's wistfulness was interrupted by Ted. He held aloft the tapestry and looked even more worried than before.

"Anything we should know?" He asked. Both Tonks and her mother examined the tapestry in detail. The first burn hole had gone, replaced by Sirius' name, birth and death dates. The second hole had also gone, in it's place was Andromeda's name. There were two new branches, one read 'Edward Tonks', the other 'Nymphadora Tonks'. It was the other name that had caused Ted's suspicions however. Leading off from Nymphadora, another name had quite clearly sewn itself. It read 'R. L.'

Both her parents were now giving her stern, parent-like looks.

"Er, well, there might be someone," she stammered, trying not to choke on her cocoa, to take in the second initial and still get herself off the hook. "I'm..we're..not sure yet."

"Well this thing certainly seems to be," Andromeda noted, sounding a little too like her great aunt's awful portrait.

"It's complicated," she said truthfully. "But don't worry, you'll be the first to know if it becomes official."

There was an awkward silence. Andromeda certainly appreciated that relationships could get extremely complicated and so did not feel justified in commenting, but Ted on the other hand just wanted to be sure of a few things before he could set his mind at rest.

"It _is_ a 'he' isn't it sweetheart?" Given Tonks' short hair, scruffy appearance and general lack of femininity, Ted was not the first to have been suspicious.

"Dad!"

"Edward!" Mother and daughter exclaimed together. Tonks was clearly not destined to finish her drink. She sat it down on the floor next to her, wiping down her t-shirt with a tissue.

"Yes it is a 'he' dad," she growled, fists clenching. "And it wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't, would it?"

"No no, course not," Ted replied hastily, moving to collect up the mugs and take them to the kitchen. Once he was out of earshot, her mother took her aside.

"Nymphadora dear," she began. "Yours is a dangerous enough profession during peace time, do you really think it's a good idea to get involved with someone now?"

"That's exactly why I'm not sure about it." Tonks spoke from her heart for the first time in a long while. "You and dad know about risks, you though it was worth keeping, however long it'd last. Well I know the war's coming, and I don't expect to see it out. Don't you think I deserve a scrap of happiness until then? Isn't it up to me to decide if he's worth the pain?"

Andromeda simply nodded. Her daughter was right, sometimes you just had to make the leap.

"Go child," she told her daughter. "Take your risk."

Tonks managed to calm down and compose herself during the journey back, making use of several charms to keep the elements at bay. There was alot for her to process. Being honest was tiring work. 'R. L.' she thought. Remus? No, he would have said something. Wouldn't he? Well who else could it be? She didn't want to think about the alternatives.

She landed at the end of Grimmauld Place and walked up the road to the gap between number 11 and number 13. As the house began to appear, Tonks stepped in a puddle and slipped, falling to the floor and hitting herself in the face with her old broom.

She sat for several minutes sulking in the puddle before finding the effort to stand up again, by which time Hedwig had dropped a letter in her lap and perched herself on Tonks' shoulder. She stood up and looked at the letter. It was him. Tonks knew what she had to do and she had to do it soon. You have to seize your moments, because that's all life is, a series of moments. What film was that from? Tonks remembered Sirius' last days and felt that to be very true. She had never really spoken to him about his incarceration, or his early childhood but it didn't take a genius to know that his life had been mostly unpleasant. It was easy to understand his frustrations when the only happy memories he had were of a dead man, a traitor and a werewolf.

Tonks sighed and wandered through the now visible doorway, staring down at the parchment.

"Oooh! Someone's got a boyfriend!" The twins chimed together, pointing at the letter in Tonks' hand having noticed the dreamy look in her eyes.

"Honestly, you two sound more like a pair of old women every time I see you," She laughed, quickly hiding the paper in her jeans. She greeted everyone in turn as she saw them. Must be important, she thought. She didn't think she'd ever seen all the Order members at a single meeting. But the way Molly was behaving, you would have thought it was a children's party, not a top-secret militia meeting. The kitchen had been turned into a walk-in buffet, the living room was filled with Order members munching on sandwiches and most had a glass of wine in their hand. Perhaps the war was over, she wondered. Maybe You-Know-Who fell down some steps and killed himself and now this whole sorry mess was at an end. His activity had been very quite since the Department of Mysteries. Suspiciously quiet in fact. Suddenly the fear brought on by the bizarre storm was given a name. The war was upon them.


	10. The First Casualty

Author's Note: Yes, I am still alive and I will finish this fic if I fail this semester to do it. I hit 10,000 words! Woo! This is quite an achievement since I am absolutely terrible at prose. This fic is a sort of experiment to see if I can actually finish something and it's going well. Around three chapters aught to do it I reckon. Oh, and FIRST CHARACTER DEATH of many. Enjoy!

Mirror, Mirror

Chapter Ten: The First Casualty

Becoming an Auror was not something you did overnight. It took years of physical and mental training, studying and above all dedication. The moment you decided to become an Auror, you forfeited old age. The second you signed your allegiance to the ministry you signed away your life. And now, surrounded by people who had done just as she had, Tonks knew what every Auror feared deep down was going to happen. The Order were learning fast that being prepared to die for your cause didn't mean you would ever be prepared when that moment finally came.

The meeting became increasingly tense. They heard reports of ministry informers turning up dead. They heard how several disloyal Aurors had disappeared. They were told of how many known dark arts sympathisers had also vanished, and how most of Nocturn Alley had been ransacked and supplies stolen.

Once Kingsley had explained that Voldemort's final strike was days, even hours away, Dumbledore took the floor. Tonks had never seen him look so frail, so old. As he stood to speak Tonks scanned the circle of increasingly terrified faces. Everyone was on edge, even Kingsley had faltered with his speech. This was it, it really was.

"I am afraid," Dumbledore said, not daring to look anyone in the eye. "I'm afraid that one of our members was captured by ...them. He went missing three days ago and I'm sorry to tell you that..that the body of Severus Snape was discovered early this morning."

Gasps of disbelief rippled through the room. Tonks jaw dropped. She wanted to pinch herself, she wanted to wake up and everything to be alright.

"As you know, he had been our only reliable contact within the dark lord's innermost circle. Not only have we lost our source of information, it seems that Severus was tortured, possibly for days before his death. I know he would have done his best to resist, but we cannot know how much he divulged. It is therefore highly likely that Grimmauld Place will be among the first targets. This building is, of course, protected by a number of charms and devices, and while we are indeed vulnerable here, I suggest you do not return to your homes this evening."

&&&

The Order staggered out of the meeting room completely in shock. Arthur was busy comforting his sobbing wife, Kingsley and several others had gone for some fresh air, while Remus went straight for the drinks cabinet. Tears welled up in Tonks' eyes as she went to head him off. As he put a glass of firewhisky to his lips, Tonks snatched it away from him.

"Not today Remus, please, not today,"

She turned away, the few tears turned quickly to uncontrollable sobbing. Tonks hid her face in her hands as it began to sink in. Severus was dead. How was that possible? He was an intelligent man, surely if he suspected he'd been found out he'd have pulled out. Severus was dead. The sad thing was, very few people cared for that fact. If it hadn't put the rest of the Order in jeopardy, even fewer would have cared. Severus was not well liked, but he had been the bravest of them all. It was one thing to oppose Voldemort, it was another to betray him. He had risked more than the rest of them put together and no-one would miss him. Tonks had often wondered why he sacrificed so much for them, she thought it was perhaps that he had nothing left to lose. She preferred to think he had something, or someone, worth fighting for. She supposed she'd never know.

A reassuring hand appeared on her shoulder. She put her own hand up to meet Remus', her other hand feeling the envelope in her pocket. Tonks calmed herself and turned round to look Remus in the eye.

"There's something I have to do." She told him, then ran upstairs to her room.

Tonks closed the door behind her and pulled out R's letter. This was all wrong. Sirius was gone. Severus was gone. Who'd be next? Tonks? Kingsley? Remus? She couldn't wait to see who would survive, she had to act now.

_Dearest Ymp,_

_Considering recent developements, I agree with you, it is time we met. The way things are going it's unlikely there will be much oppertunity for such frivolities very soon. It may even be too late already, I don't know. What I do know is that I couldn't bare it if something were to happen to me, that I would be unable to care for you, or worse; that something should happen to you before I am able to do so. If you were lost to this war I fear I would have nothing left to fight for._

_I will be in the Troll's Head tomorrow at noon, I trust you know it. I hope you can make it._

_Ever yours,_

_R_


	11. If I'm not back by tea time

Author's Note: Woo, more death! If anyone wants to see a particular character die let me know and it shall be done **mwahahaha! **Also, huge plottage. R REVEALED! On with the chapter!

Mirror, Mirror

Chapter eleven: "If I'm not back by tea time…"

His face was a blur. Perhaps because she was crying so hard. He held her close, she felt safe. He wiped away her tears with his thumbs and she saw his hands clearly. Strong, but scarred, nails bitten. He protected her from the terrors that surrounded them, though she could not see what they were. Again he whispered:

"You're safe now Ymp."

&&&

Tonks woke late the next morning. So late in fact, that she had barely an hour before she was to meet R. She showered and dressed quickly and went downstairs. After yesterday's meeting all but a few of the Order members and their families had stayed there overnight, but Grimmauld Place was as quiet as it had ever been. Most were in their rooms still, though Tonks doubted any of them had really slept.

Dumbledore was off making arrangements for Harry to return to the Dursley's as soon as possible. Hermione and her parents had taken it upon themselves to go out into the muggle community and warn as many people as they could of an impending 'terror attack'. Kingsley had gone off to the ministry to plead their case, Mundungus, Arthur, Bill and Charlie were all on guard and Molly had been given the task of feeding the fast number of mouths now in residence. Ginny and Ron sat in the living room with a bag of dungbombs each, throwing one at anyone who came through the door, but they did not laugh. The twins had gone to work as usual, though far from their usual selves. Tonks was to collect her parents and bring them back to Grimmauld Place, while Remus got supplies. Tonks wondered if this was like the castle sieges she'd read about, where if they weren't all killed in a few days, they either stayed put until they starved or they surrendered.

And surrender was not an option.

Tonks grabbed her bag and walked down the hall, where Remus was levitating crates of baked beans.

"Well, I'm off," she told him.

"Picking up your parents?"

"Yea, among other things. They don't know about any of this, it might take a while," Tonks sighed. There was silence. Tonks walked a little closer to Remus and the door, then stopped. She dropped her bag to the ground and threw her arms around Remus' neck.

"Oh God, Remus," she sobbed into his shoulder. "I'm so scared."

"Me too Tonks," he whispered. "Me too."

"Everything's going to be okay isn't it?"

"It'll be fine."

Remus' lie seemed to comfort both of them. Tonks let go of him, picked up her bag and opened the front door. She stopped and turned back to him.

"If I'm not back by tea time, fear the worst."

&&&

To her surprise, Tonks arrived at the Troll's Head ten minutes before noon. She didn't even bother getting a drink before she sat down in a secluded corner. Her stomach rumbled. She'd missed breakfast, but even now she was too nervous to eat anything. She watched the door, surveying everyone who walked in, wating for that familiar face, waiting for her stranger, her R.

The minutes dragged on forever as she watched people come and go. Couples, families, all unaware that the war had come. All oblivious, all happy, all alive and Tonks saw death in them all.

She couldn't bare to watch their living ghosts any longer. She leaned over the table and buried her head in her hands. She did not cry; there would be time enough for that later.

Tonks became aware of a figure nearby. She saw his robes between her fingers and a familiar voice spoke.

"I'm glad you could make it my dear."

The colour drained from Tonks' face as she looked up at her admirer. She felt sick.

"I thought you would be pleased to see me, though I can understand your shock."

"No," she whispered feebly, as Rodolphus LeStrange sat down opposite her, taking her hands in his own, apparating them both out of the pub.

"No, no, no," she said again, unable to say anything else.

"It's alright Ymp my dear," he whispered, closing in on her. "I'm here now."

No, this was all wrong, you were supposed to be..no, this can't be right.

Tonks looked him in the eye.

"What about Bella?"

"Our's was a loveless marraige from the start. Besides, she cares more for the Dark Lord than she does for me."

"What about the war?"

"I've been a fool, I can see that now. You've shown me the light. I've turned my back on the Dark Arts for good." He paused. "Will you fogive me?"

"Maybe," Tonks was almost starting to believe him. "But even if I could forgive you," she pulled her hands away from his. "I could never love you."

"You could if you wanted to."

Tonks couldn't believe this was happening. How could Rudolphus just switch side like that? It was rediculous. The whole situation was ridiculous. She had almost fallen for her uncle for crying out loud! It was all wrong and it made her sick to her stomach. But she had felt those things, and as much as she tried, she couldn't deny it.

"How can I know you've changed?"

"I'll prove it, I'll do anything." He thought for a moment. "I can stop the attack, I can tell them they've got the wrong place, that the Order HQ is just a decoy."

"You're seriously telling me that you've got the power to stop them attacking Grimmauld Pla..."

Rodolphus' smile said it all. Tonks filled with dread.

"Thank you my dear, that's all we needed to know." He chuckled and stood up. Tonks was suddenly aware of her surroundings and they looked very much like a prison cell.

"God! He didn't tell you anything did he! After all you did to him, Severus didn't give you a damn thing!"

"Yes, good bluff wasn't it?" He stepped through a door in the barred wall of the room and locked it behind him.

"Shame about your parents, nice people." He watched Tonks' expression change. "Oh you didn't know? Hmm, pity they didn't know anything. Not a bad shot, your mother. She managed to get Narcissa and her son before we restrained them."

Rudolphus put the keys in his pocket, then placed a charm on the lock. Tonks grabbed at her jeans but her pockets were empty.

"You seem to have misplaced your wand my dear, you really are clumsy. Oh, and I wouldn't bother to shout. There's not another building for five miles and we're all leaving now anyway. I'll say hello to the werewolf for you."


	12. A Very Muggle Escape

Author's Note: Where did all my lovely reviewers go? Sniff

Woo! On a roll now! Hmm, Percy might have to have a death-bed redemption type thing to make that work, but yep, consider him gone. Also, if there's anyone you'd like saving let me know too. Obviously Harry has to survive and it'd be a bit of a bummer if Tonks didn't, but anyone else just name the fate.

For those of you who feel cheated by the last chapter's revelations, prepare for a few better ones :D I may have pulled the rug as it were, but you're still standing on it folks ; )

Mirror, Mirror

Chapter twelve: A Very Muggle Escape

Tonks' world had fallen apart. The man she thought she had loved was a fraud. Her parents were dead, and now she'd doomed the Order to the same fate. She couldn't breathe; the walls of her cell began to close in. Tonks tore at her t-shirt collar, doubled over and emptied her stomach over the stone floor. The candle on the other side of the bars, her only light source was getting very short indeed. Tonks picked up the wooden chair and smashed it against the bars. She did the same with the small table, small wooden shards sticking in her face and arms. She threw herself at the stone wall of her cell, punching, kicking, scratching til her hands were a bloody mess and her head pounded. She fell to her knees and screamed, her eyes felt as though they might explode. Her clothes now sopping with tears, she threw herself at the barred wall. She couldn't apparate here, which meant that door was her only means of escape. How could she have been so stupid! Guard your wand with your life, that was day one Auror training! As she grabbed at the bars, some kind of magical electric current ran through her, every muscle in her body contracted, every cell was in pain until she wrenched her hands away. Damnit!

Tonks curled on the floor, panting and sobbing, until she came across something in her back pocket; her Swiss army knife. Maybe she could use it somehow, maybe she could escape in time to at least warn the others. It would be hours before she'd be missed, and by then it would be too late. She re-familiarised herself with all the knife's components, then the bottom of the cell bars. She saw the screws and thanked Merlin, and her father for giving the knife to her. She pulled out the screwdriver and bit her lip. Shoddy workmanship. Built to hold wizards, not muggles. She braced herself and began unscrewing the lower bars in short bursts, the current becoming more and more painful. On she persevered, despite the pain, and eventually she had removed two small bars from the door. By the time she had finished Tonks had bitten so deep into her lip it was seeping with blood.

She put away her trusted tool, and scrambled her way through the small gap. She made herself as thin as she could, but still managed to bush the bars a few agonizing times before she was all the way through. Tonks emerged from the gap exhausted and shaking violently. She tried to pick up the candle, but dropped it, plummeting her into darkness. Once again her father came to her rescue as she remembered the small torch embedded in the knife. She flicked it on and stumbled through the dark passage in search of a way out.

Tonks went through several corridors before finding a set of stone steps. She made her way slowly up, to freedom, or death.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she got to the top. Rodolphus had been telling the truth then at least, there was no-one there. She searched the few rooms and found little of note; an abandoned meal for seven, some moth eaten books, some papers which she grabbed just in case and not alot else. She found the main door easily, but it was shut fast. It would take her forever to get through it and that was time she didn't have. She looked around for a window, maybe she could attract someone's attention, ideally someone with a very large axe. She found what was once the living room and peered out of the half boarded windows thick with dirt. She pulled at an old dust sheet and smeared the dirt. It didn't make an awful lot of difference. She spotted a small crack in the boards and peered through. Tonks laughed out loud. Rodulphus had lied. There was undoubtedly a silencing charm on the derelict building, but it was in reach of civilisation. She knew exactly where she was. She was in Dufftown.

Tonks jimmied the board off with the blade on her knife and squeezed through the gap, getting her hair caught in the process. She was too tired to transform, gaining her freedom at last with one final burst of pain and several damaged follicles. She looked at the small clump of brown hair hanging from a twisted nail, a wry smile creeping over her weary face. She quickly carved a message into the chipboard, just in case he came back, or if anyone should be looking for her. Tonks had to walk for her life. There were very few chimneys on the floo network here, and she was too weak to think, let alone apparate.

She walked towards the main hub of the town in search for the route to Hogsmeade, leaving her message behind her.

"_Uncle Rod,_

_Something to remember me by,_

_Ymp_."

Tonks varied from sprinting to walking for over an hour before she could keep going no longer. As she fell to the ground a dark yet amusing thought crept into her fleeting mind. Maybe luck would be on her side, maybe she'd snuff it as soon as she'd sent word. She chuckled as much as her parched throat would allow. Heh, if only.

As she sat on the dirt footpath just over halfway to Hogsmeade, she pulled the papers she'd snagged out of her pocket. She might as well see what they were while she was resting. Most of it was useless; public transport timetables, blueprints of the floo network, receipts, and only copies of her bloody letter is all! Something wasn't quite right. There was a copy of each letter she had recieved from R, as well as those she had sent back to him. Reasonable enough, if it had been the plan all along, but they were hand copied, and the handwriting was niether her's nor whoever had sent them to her. That was not the only odd thing about them. There were huge spelling mistakes, errors and even had words missing. It was as if someone had copied them in a hurry. But what could it mean? Her head hurt too much to think properly. Her legs were aching from the run, her hands were swollen and she was having trouble moving her fingers. Her whole body hurt from the shock charm, and her soul pained with the knowledge of her parents' deaths. She was ready to give up. In fact, even if she had wanted to carry on, her legs would probably have ignored her commands.

Tonks remembered seeing people on her father's television in similar situations, soldiers lost in enemy territory, that sort of stuff. Whenever they felt like they couldn't go on any further, they'd find a photo of their sweetheart, or their children maybe, and that would be all they needed to finish their journey. Tonks wished she had such a momento, more to the point she wished she had a 'someone' behind the watch, locket, cigar case or whatever it was. But she didn't.

Her parents were dead. Sirius was dead. Nacissa and poor Draco were too. Bellatrix, she knew to be incapable of procreating. A blessing in itself.

She was the last in the Black line, and things didn't look good.

Tonks remembered one of the last things her mother had said to her only the day before. It seemed like an age since she'd popped round for tea, but it was still only yesterday that everything was normal.

"_Family's a strange thing. You might not always like them, but they're always there."_

Where was Tonks' family now?

She lay down on the dry summer grass but didn't dare close her eyes for fear that she might never open them again. The sky was clouding ominously above her, the wind dropped quite suddenly and the temperature was rising, not just in Tonks. Right now she would have welcomed the rain, but she feared this would be no ordinary shower.

The first droplet splattered down, landing on the pile of copied letter in her lap. Tonks held it to the sky and watched the ink bleed. Another drop landed between her eyes, and a third on the parchment held loosely in her bloody fingers. As the water and ink swirled around the page, Tonks noticed that there was something else written there. She flipped it over and examined it with her stinging, sore eyes. She bolted upright and rifled through the other copies, they all had notes on the backs! The notes were in the same hand as the hasty copies, albethem neater. As she scanned page after page, she found herself laughing! Rodolphus had tricked her, but he had not seduced her. The correspondence between her and R had been intersepted fom the beginning. It had been an oppertunist attack, which meant that her R was still out there somewhere. Now she had her trinket. She had to go on, send word to the others. She had to find him and take him back with her to safety. That is, if he wasn't there already.

She stood after several attempts and staggared on towards Hogsmeade, towards her destination. Now death and happiness shared a path.


	13. Emergency Class

Author's Note: Yayness, more reviews! Guess my old readers got bored eh? This chapter's a bit short, but there's quite a lot in it so, meh.

Oh man ah luuuurve thee fic! (spot the reference and I'll name a random dead character after you :D) Onward!

Mirror, Mirror

Chapter thirteen: Emergency Class

Tonks stumbled on through the pouring rain for another long hour before she finally had Hogsmeade in her sights. She almost threw herself along as she hit the main road into town. She ran as fast as she could past the Three Broomsticks, turning right for the home straight. She caught a glimpse of the Shrieking Shack in the distance and she wondered whether tomorrow's transformation would be Remus' last. That was a thought she could have done without, but it only increased her speed and determination. Tonks ran on, not even seeing the mass of people stood watching her, her only thought was for her dear R.

At last she reached the post office and burst through the door, nearly collapsing as she did so. She didn't stop to gain her breath but reached for a piece of parchment to send on. She gripped the quill painfully and tried to write. It was nothing more than a scrawl, even she could not make out some of the words and she had bled on the page. She asked a concerned clerk to dictate for her, sending her message Emergency Class to 12 Grimmauld Place.

As soon as Tonks had seen the owl take off she breathed a sigh of relief. It was out of her hands now, all she could do was wait for death. Tonks walked out of the shop calmly. The clerk called out to her as she reached the doorway.

"Where shall I send any replies?"

Tonks turned to face him with her red, sunken eyes.

"You can send them to the bottom of the lake."

&&&

Molly was just starting to chop vegetables for dinner when Remus burst in. She jumped and caught her hand on one of the charmed knifes, yelping and bringing her hand to her mouth.

"There had better be a good reason for startling me like that," she said, turning to face Remus. His eyes were wide, and what little colour he usually had was gone. He nodded.

"Remus, whatever's the matter?" Remus held his hands up so she could see. One held a rosewood wand; the other held a small blue backpack.

"Remus? That's Tonks' bag isn't it?" Arthur and Kingsley came in as Molly spoke. "Remus, what's going on?"

"I..I think she's been kidnapped." Remus whispered, landing heavily on a chair.

"What are you talking about?" Arthur asked.

"She..she went to meet someone, I...I was worried so I followed her," Remus explained. "But I got caught up with Dung's baked beans, and when I got there she was gone. She left these," he said, setting the wand and bag on the kitchen table and sinking his head into his hands.

"But...how? Who?"

"I think we can make a fairly accurate guess," Remus mumbled through his fingers and a few tears.

"She could have gone anywhere," Arthur said. "Did you check her flat?" Remus nodded. "Well what about her parents' house? She could have gone the.."

"I don't think so," interrupted Kingsley, sombrely.

"You've been there?" Molly asked, wondering if she really wanted to know. Kingsley nodded, lowering his head.

"I found Edward and Andromeda there dead, along with Narcissa and young Draco Malfoy."

Molly put her hands to her mouth, Arthur moved to comfort her. There was a deep silence, then Remus sprang up, knocking over his chair.

"We have to find her, we have to help her," he said, panicking.

"What have we got to go on?" Asked Kingsley. "We can't do anything to help her if we don't have any leads."

Remus knew he spoke the truth, and kicked the fallen chair out of frustration. Then as if answering their pleas, an owl cooed as it appeared at the window. Arthur unfastened the parchment from it's foot and unrolled it, the bird leaving as quickly as it had arrived.

"It's for you," he said, handing it to Remus. Remus turned it over in his hands, noting the official Hogsmeade Post Office stamp. He unfolded the parchment and read, gasping in horror at what it he saw. For the benefit of the others he then read it aloud.

"_Remus,_

_Tea time was far too optimistic. Fear the worst. Attack imminent. Do not waste resources trying to find me; I am of no further use to the cause. I bid you farewell and good luck, and I hope that where I'm headed, I won't be seeing you very soon._

_Tell the others I'm sorry._

_All my love,_

_Tonks"_


	14. Attempts

Author's Note: Hope y'all like this chapter, it was bloody hard work I can tell you. Shan't be updating for roughly a week due to essay deadlines and the fact I'm visiting my folks for a few days on Monday. There's a bit of blood in this one, so if you're squeamish like me I apologise. Hope you like.

Mirror, Mirror

Chapter fourteen: Attempts

It had stopped raining before Tonks made it to the water's edge and kneeled down. Though the rain had was gone, the sky was blacker than ever. It hadn't stopped, it had moved; the rain was going south. She bathed her hands in the cool water for some time before removing them and sitting down on the bank. The swelling had gone down dramatically, and while it was still incredibly painful, she could at least move her fingers again. She began pulling the pieces of chair out of her forearms as best she could. She no longer felt like she was going to die, at least not from her current injuries. Tonks picked at the splinters in her face, but couldn't get any out without a mirror, the water surface was too blurred for such detail.

Right now, Tonks felt even worse than when she'd first woken up in St. Mungo's a month before. Then, she'd mostly felt extremely hung over and unable to bend her midriff or her right elbow. At the time, it was the worst she had ever felt, and that was _before_ Remus had told her about her cousin. Now, she felt she could survive, but she wasn't sure she wanted to.

She leant forward into a squat and let some water pool in her hands. She brought it up to her face and drank. The cool water soothed her aching throat, but it tasted bitter, filled with her own blood.

Tonks clutched her knees and closed her eyes. Sleep, she needed to sleep. She had to stay awake, she had to. She wrenched her eyes open but they refused to focus. They glided shut almost immediately.

&&&

As Remus finished reading the letter, Moody entered the room accompanied by none other than Percy Weasley. Emotions were running wild enough as it was, but maybe if he was here why they all hoped, it would be no bad thing.

"Found the young scallywag back at the Burrow, think I got him away before they saw but we can't be too careful." Moody informed the dejected company. "Oh and Harry's safely back with the muggles if you were wondering. Dumbledore's staying with him until we know what the situation is."

"Mum, dad," Percy said quietly. He was willing to swallow his pride, but not publicly. "Can I speak to you in private?"

Molly nodded, blew her nose and followed her husband and son out of the kitchen. Remus had taken out a hip flask and drained the contents, then put it back in his pocket, along with Tonks' wand. He made for the door without a word, but his destination was obvious.

"Remus don't," Kingsley stopped him. "She said not to go after her."

"What Tonks says and what Tonks feels are two very different things," he replied, still facing the door.

"She's right you know Lupin," Moody said gruffly, reading over Tonks' letter from the table. "If she's right about this attack then we need you here."

"How much help do you expect me to be the night before a full moon? No, we need_ her_ here, I need her safe."

"I appreciate what you're saying," Moody began. "But we can't risk it. This isn't the time for getting emotional."

"No, you're right." Remus said sourly, putting his hand on the door nob. "We should wait until we're all dead."

"Where are you going to start?" Kingsley asked, now fully understanding Remus' situation.

"That letter came from Hogsmeade Post Office. If she's wounded she should still be nearby." Remus said to nods of approval, turned the door handle and left.

&&&

Tonks jerked awake again, knowing full well that if she didn't stand up she would most certainly drift off to Merlin knows where. Again she felt the lump of her father's old knife in her jeans. He had given it to her on their last camping trip in the fields near Dufftown. They went every Christmas 'til she left Hogwarts, just Tonks and her dad. He put a warming charm on their little three-man tent, they had a miniature Christmas tree to put outside and they always cooked from scratch the muggle way, on a camp fire. Neither of them were very good at cooking, the sausages always ended up being black on the outside but pink in the middle. They always threw them away and conjured ready cooked ones, but they still tried again the next year.

Tonks slid the largest blade out from the red casing and studied the back of her arm. She took the point of the blade and sloppily gauged out a stubborn splinter. Fresh blood trickled towards her elbow. She moved her arm around, making patterns with the thin trail until there was no room left to do so. She turned her arm over. The underside had stayed surprisingly free of scratches and the like. It was pale, almost white next to the escaped red. So pure and untouched. She pushed the tip of the knife carefully into her wrist and began dragging it slowly down. The blood flow was slight. She pushed harder, but still slow as ever, as if it was the pain alone she relished. She was interrupted halfway across by a gasp behind her.

Tonks turned her head slightly, enough to identify the figure. The knife dropped to the ground and she hugged her chest, shivering.

"No," Remus whispered, fighting back tears. "What have they done to you?"

She was indeed a frightening sight. Her clothes were torn and dirty, she was covered in splinters, dry blood and bruises, her usually pristine hair was a mess and some was missing. Her arms and neck were covered in small electrical burns. And on top of all this, she had stuck the knife in her own arm and was now splattered with fresh blood. Tonks felt giddy. She swayed, her eyes rolled back and she fell. Remus ran to catch her. He held her, took a small vial from his pocket and slipped a few drops into her mouth. Her eyes opened gradually. She looked out over the lake towards Hogwarts and sighed painfully.

"What is so wrong with the world that we do this to each other," Tonks whispered, closing her eyes again, voluntarily. Remus fished about in his pocket again and held out a piece of Honeyduke's finest.

"I don't want your sodding chocolate Remus." There was silence. "I told you not to come, I told you to stay and fight," she uttered feebly, turning to rest her head on his shoulder.

"I couldn't. Without you I'd have nothing left to fight for." He sighed, holding Tonks' head gently. "Who did this to you?" He whispered as calmly as he could.

"I did."

"You want to tell me what happened?"

"Just your average mistaken-identity-stalker-kidnap-murder-doom-the-planet-then-escape scenario." Remus almost laughed. Even when she'd been kidnapped, electrocuted, bereaved and suicidal, she was still Tonks.

"They're gone Remus, my parents are gone," she said, burying her face in his jacket.

"I know."

"Mum killed Narcissa and Draco too. Now it's just me and Bella, we're the only ones left."

Remus was silent. He took out his wand and did his best to heal her wounds, but he was no healer. He managed to get rid of most of the minor injuries, and conjured a bandage for her gashed wrist.

"Poor Severus," Tonks grasped Remus' lapels and began to sob into his chest.

"Tonks? What do you mean?"

"He died for us," she cried. "He died for us and no-one cares."

"They do care," he whispered, holding her tight.

"No they don't. It wasn't even him!"

"Tonks, what wasn't?" She looked up at his bloodshot golden eyes.

"He didn't tell them about Grimmauld Place." Remus gripped her shoulders tightly.

"Tonks, what are you talking about?"

"He didn't tell them." She was almost waiting for rejection. "I did. They tricked me, but I told them. I've killed us all."

Remus was horrified, he could only imagine what she must have gone through since she'd seen him this morning.

"It's okay," he whispered. "They'll understand. The wards will stop anyone getting in. And if they do get in, they won't come out alive."

"That's what worries me. God Remus, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay Tonks, everything's going to be okay." He leant forward and planted a kiss on her bruised forehead. "I should get you somewhere safe."

"We can't go to my flat, or your house. They'll have them staked out by now."

"Then where?"

"The only place we can go. Number twelve."


	15. Homecoming

Author's Note: 'lo all, I'm not dead, though my laptop is. Oh well. There's more self-harm and a wee bit of smut for y'all in this one (though sadly all in Remus' head).

Mute Mockingbird: Good point, the way I see it is that knowing the address doesn't mean you can get in. The other Blacks would know the house was there anyway. I do have a cunning plan for the final battle though :D

Cheers for all the reviews, enjoy!

Mirror, Mirror

Chapter fifteen: Homecoming

Remus helped Tonks back to Hogsmeade village and the pair floo'd back to London. The network was at rush hour now, forcing them out a little short of their destination. The pair decided it was too crowded to even try apparating the rest of the way, so they resigned to walking. Tonks clung on to Remus' arm, still a little unsteady. He put his arm around her and slowed to her pace as they walked through muggle Camden towards certain death.

"Oh, you'd better have this back." Remus said, pulling Tonks' pink wand from his robes and handing it to her. Seeing her confusion, he added "I was worried, I went after you. I'm sorry I wasn't quick enough."

"Hey, I'm still here, am I not Remus?" She laughed, loosening her grip on his midriff as her feet regained some of their strength. What almost killed you made you stronger. "How did you know where I was going?"

"I read your letters," Remus replied, entirely honestly.

"You went through my stuff?" Tonks' eyes widened as she remembered where she'd hidden the letters. "You went through my PlayWitch collection?"

Remus felt his face turn a colour to rival Weasley hair. He said nothing, hoping she would leave it at that. He did not blush because he had done so, he blushed at the thought of Tonks owning a PlayWitch (much less a whole collection) and doing what he knew he did with Sirius' old dog-eared copies of PlayWizard. He blushed at the thought of Tonks doing _that_ less than five feet away from his own bed on the other side of the wall. Remus felt a tingling sensation and a gradual rush of blood. No, now wasn't the time. He forced his thoughts away from Tonks to a scene involving Kingsley and Moody that made his buttocks clench and his nether-regions return to normal very quickly indeed.

Tonks sighed and hugged Remus as they walked.

"Bet you think I'm a complete prat," she laughed nervously. Remus grinned.

"We all think with our hearts not our heads sometimes," he said. "That doesn't make you a fool."

"Maybe," Tonks whispered. "Just wish I knew who the poor bugger really was, probably thinks I stood him up."

"I'm sure he'll understand," sighed Remus. "If he loves you as much as he says he does, he'll forgive being stood up for a kidnapping."

They walked in silence through the markets, avoiding the stares of concerned (and nosey) muggles as the shabby werewolf helped Tonks back to Grimmauld Place. They reached the end of the road and stopped. They checked around for people and found that the street was completely empty. It was never very busy, but there was usually at least someone putting the bin out or walking the dog. It was unnervingly quiet. The pair walked towards the gap where number twelve should be rather apprehensively. The building gradually appeared and Remus helped Tonks inside. They were met with terrified eyes as they entered the kitchen. Molly, Arthur, Kingsley, Moody, Dung, the four elder Weasley brothers and assorted others were gathered there, drinking tea and trying not to think about what was about to happen.

Kingsley quickly vacated his chair and Remus sat Tonks down in it. There was silence. The Order members looked Tonks over, her injuries meaning nothing compared with the expression on her face. Now she was here, the adrenaline of her rescue disappeared and the desire to crawl under a rock and die returned once again. Happy, bubbly, eccentric Tonks had been broken. She had given up on life almost completely. She looked up at the crowd of worried onlookers.

"What? What are you staring at?" she asked. "If you're waiting for me to break down and cry you'll be here a while."

"Tonks, no-one's thinking that, we're just worried." Molly reassured, stepping forward and taking hold of Tonks' arm. "Here, let me heal that."

"No!" Tonks snatched her arm away and stood up. She ripped off the bandage and threw it in Molly's face. Remus tried to hold her back but failed.

"I did that for a reason, I needed the pain, I needed to feel it." She held up her gashed wrist for all to see, avoiding their eyes. It began to bleed again, dripping on the cold stone floor.

"And if I live to see tomorrow I'll do it again." She said, as the others' heads dropped. At that moment she remembered R, and doubted she would ever get to meet him, tell him how she felt. If the attack was going to be tonight there would never be enough time.

"Hell, why wait," she snorted bitterly, and made for the door as fast as she could.

Tonks ran down the hall and up the stairs to her room, bolting the door before anyone else could get in. Then she took out her wand and placed a locking charm on it, just to be safe. She heard footsteps outside but no-one said anything, or tried the door. Tonks threw herself down on the bed and reached underneath. She pulled out a bottle of firewhisky, opened it and took a long drink. The footsteps outside were pacing. Tonks looked at her bleeding arm and took out her wand. She placed the tip against her skin and whispered.

"_Diffindo_"

Sure enough, another deep cut appeared next to the first. Tonks smiled at the pain and lay back on the bed. This was pathetic, she told herself. The heavy footsteps faded. She flicked her wand and unlocked her bedroom door as a lighter pair of feet approached. This time there was a knock on the door. Tonks chuckled to herself. Remus was always so polite.

"It's open," she managed, taking another swig of whisky. Remus came in slowly, hovering by the bed. She sat up, making room for him to sit down. He did so without a word. Tonks swung her legs up onto the bed and offered him the bottle. Remus took it from her, drank less than he would have liked to and set it down on the floor. He then took a fresh bandage from his pocket. He kissed his fingers and touched the fresh cut, then tied the bandage on carefully. Tonks smiled as thanks and curled up with her head in Remus' lap, taking his hand in hers. Remus stroked her black hair with his free hand. There was no need for words. They stayed like that for what seemed like hours.

"They wont get in will they Reme?"

"Of course not," he reassured her. "They'd never get passed the Fidelius charm." They could, however kill anyone entering or leaving though, he thought.

Remus glanced at his watch. It really had been hours.

"I should go and talk to the others," he said, unmoving. "Did you want anything from downstairs?"

"I've got the most wonderful bloke on the planet and lots of alcohol," she whispered. "What more could a gal possibly want?"

Remus smiled, kissed her head and helped her sit up. He could think of lots of things she should want, should have. They didn't include an ageing, unemployed werewolf, but he wasn't going to argue. She let go of his hand reluctantly as he stood and made for the door. Tonks called out after him.

"Don't ever leave me," she begged.

"I'll never leave you," he choked, holding back more tears. "How could I? Rest, I'll be back soon."


	16. Smitten

Author's Note: Topless Tonks! Well, sorta. And there's a bit of implied past TonksxKingsley that I'll elaborate on when I come to re-write the earlier chapters. I know this one's a bit short, it was originally part of another chapter but it was to long as it was so I separated it.

Yes, I'm well aware I was gone longer than a week, as I said, my laptop was (and still is) broken so I can't use it for more than half an hour at a time.

With any luck, I'll have it finished before HBP comes out.

Much thankness for the reviews! Enjoy!

Mirror, Mirror

Chapter sixteen: Smitten

Tonks stood by her door and watched Remus as he decended the staircase and dissappeared round the corner. She inclined her head to lean on the door and sighed. She went back into her room, leaving the door ajar, suddenly aware of how horrible her clothes were. She pulled off her trainers, then her jeans, stiff with dirt and slipped on a pair of clean, linen trousers. Already she felt better. She tried to pull her arms out of her t-shirt but the pain was too much. She downed the last of the whisky and threw the glass bottle across the room. It collided with the full-length mirror with an almighty crash. Tonks swore. She considered ripping the tee, after all, it was pretty tattered already, but it was her favourite shirt. It wasn't anything special, just a medium green with nothing on the front, but it had been a gift. Sirius had given it to her for her last birthday, along with the picture disc vinyl she'd caught Remus with earlier that week. Apparently he'd bought it a few weeks before his imprisonment, and had saved it for her. He couldn't have bought the shirt himself, and Tonks suspected Molly had picked it out for him in an attempt to get her to wear something without an offensive slogan. No, she had to save it.

She made another attempt at getting it off, as a shadow appeared through the gap in the door.

"Oh, I'm sorry Tonks," Kingsley said, averting his eyes. "I'll wait out here."

"No, Kings, could you give me a hand?" She asked from the edge of the bed. He stayed put in the doorway.

"Oh come on you stupid git," she threw a small teddy at him, chuckling lightly. He did the strong silent type so well, she thought. She added with a wink "Nothing you haven't seen before."

Kingsley relented and entered the room fully, clearing away the broken glass with his wand. He helped Tonks pull her shirt over her head. She walked over to the wardrobe and pulled a pink button down shirt of it's hanger. She slipped it on and walked back over to Kingsley.

"Thank you," she whispered, and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"This is ridiculous," she told him. "I'm an Auror for Christ's sake! I'm a bloody soldier and I can't even dress myself."

"Tonks, look at me," he held her shoulders tight. "Are you alright?"

"I will be," she smiled. He had seen that smile before.

"Why Tonks, you're smitten," he said. And about time too, he added mentally.

"Why yes, I s'pose I am," she replied, failing to hide the fact she was blushing terribly. "Shame about the timing."

"Well that never was your strong point," he said, trying not to sound bitter. "So is it official?"

"No, it's ... complicated."

"Looks pretty simple to me. You should have seen him earlier, Mad-Eye didn't want anyone going after you but he wasn't having any of it. Rescued you single handed, says alot to me."

"Yea, yea it does doesn't it." She smiled contentedly.

"You up for some English courage?"

"Tea and biccies?" Kingsley nodded. Tonks headed for the door but stopped in her tracks.

"Wait, Mad-Eye wanted to leave me there? I'm gonna kill the old bastard!"

Tonks tried to run towads the staircase, but her feet faltered. Kingsley put his arm round her, urging her to walk slower.

"Not today eh?" He said. "Least his heart was in the right place, the greater good and all that."

"Bollocks was it! I'd be surprised if his heart wasn't made of plastic." They both laughed and made their way carefully downstairs.


	17. The War Arrives

Author's Note: yo folks! This is the chapter ye've all been waiting for, that's right it's confession time. There might be a bit of a gap between updates after this, filming on "The Street Has No Name" starts tomorrow and that'll take up most of this week (and the editing suite is down, grrr). After that, I'm moving out of my student digs and back to my parents for the summer, and I'll hopefully be working full time in my dad's office. Add to that the fact I can't get my laptop online there, and you have much time without updates. Rest assured there isn't much more to go now, four chapters at most I reckon. They'll be up as asap. Hope you like!

Mirror, Mirror

Chapter seventeen: The War Arrives

The others had now congregated in the living room and appeared to be holding an impromptu meeting. Several more Order members had arrived in her absence, including Dumbledore and McGonagall who were sat on the sofa. Due to the lack of chairs, most were standing, but they had left a seat for the injured Tonks beside Dumbledore. She would have much rather been in the folding chair next to Remus, but she didn't have the energy to argue. Molly was levitating a tray of tea cups around the room. She opened her mouth to offer Tonks one, but was beaten to it.

"Caffeine, gimme," Tonks said, causing a small ripple of laughter. Molly smiled and handed her a cup. Tonks reached out with her left hand, winced, and instead took it with her right. Once everyone had been offered a cup of tea, Dumbledore stood up and cleared his throat.

"As I'm sure all of you are aware, there have been some unpleasant developments in the last few days. The loss of Severus was a major blow, not least to our intelligence efforts, but to.." he faltered, cleared his throat again and continued. "To morale. Today's events also, were unfortunate, and perhaps it might be a good idea to go through exactly what happened, in order to gain a clearer picture. Tonks, will you take us through today?"

Tonks nodded and took a very deep breath. She sat her cup on the carpet and stood up. It's just a report, she told herself, you've done it a thousand times, get a grip.

"Uh, well I'd been corresponding with, er, well a friend, for a week or so. We arranged to meet up today at noon, through the letters. When I got to the pub I was early, so I found a table and waited. He was late and I was fed up. Then, then Rodolphus Lestrange came in. He, he said he wanted to talk and I believed him. We apparated somewhere else, I left my things behind on the floor. When we got there, he tricked me into thinking he wanted to switch sides and I mentioned Grimmauld Place, assuming Sev..Severus had already told them. Then he locked me in a cell, told me he'd killed my parents and that Narcissa and Draco were dead too. He told me not to bother screaming for help and left." She looked at her odd-socked feet and fingered the burns on her neck. "He'd put some kind of electrify charm on the bars, but I managed to unscrew the bottom ones with...with dad's penknife. When I got out, there was no-one else there. I found some old blueprints and evidence that my letters had been intercepted. I discovered I was in a derelict house just outside Dufftown. I..I managed to get out of the building and walked to Hogsmeade. I sent word to Remus and went to sit by the lake. That's where Remus found me."

"Thank you Tonks," Dumbledore said, beckoning to her to sit down again.

Tonks perched on the edge of the sofa and picked up her tea cup. She drank like it was hard liquour. She knew she'd ommited certain facts, she was sure a few others knew as well, but she couldn't have taken the ebarrasement of the others knowing what had really happened between her and Rodulphus. Tonks closed her eyes and faded into a daydream while Kingsley explained what he'd found at the Tonks household.

She was back at Hogwarts, sat under one of the trees in Remus' arms. Harry, Hermione, Ron and his siblings played to one side. In the tree above them, Sirius was flinging bits of leaf in Tonks' hair. Then to her left she spotted her mother and father, smiling proudly. As Tonks smiled back, her father was hit by a bolt of green, he fell backwards in pain. Her mother fired off curses at their attackers, aiming for Draco who had hurt Ted. Narcissa dived in front of him, taking the full brunt of the curse. Andromeda fired another, then was hit by one from Rodolphus. Harry and the others were writhing on the ground in pain, Sirius had fallen from the tree and lay in a crumpled heap. Remus was screaming her name.

"Tonks, Tonks!"

She opened her eyes with a start. Remus was kneeling in front of her with her hands in his.

"Oh, I..I'm sorry," she turned to Kingsley. "Uh, carry on."

Remus stood up and perched himself on the sofa arm, with one hand on Tonks' shoulder.

"Ahem, so yes, I have the ministry on high alert. There are many Aurors who I know to be loyal waiting to help us. They are waiting to be told a location and believe I am leaning on an informant as we speak. The minute there is the slightest hint of battle, they will be here. Let's hope it doesn't come to that, but given the state of things we'd do better to be realistic about this. Things will come to a head sooner rather than later and we'd best prepare for the worst."

"Thank you Kingsley, we all appreciate the hard work you've put in." Dumbledore said, as Tonks scowled at his elbow. "As I'm sure you all know, though he has much enjoyed the holiday, Harry is safely back with the Dursleys." Molly scoffed. Undeterred, Dumbledore continued. "I shall be returning to Privet Drive momentarily, with the two youngest Weasley children. I would suggest Miss Tonks is escorted to St. Mungo's, but that is of couse, entirely up to her. I think that will do for now, don't you?"

The small crowd filtered out of the room gradually. Molly and Arthur shuffled off to say their goodbyes to Ron and Ginny, while everyone but Kingsley, Bill and the twins had gone in the direction of the kitchen. Fred and George stepped up to Tonks, who hadn't moved.

"We've been working on something for late-night revision, and well,"

"We thought you could do with some." George finished for his brother. Fred handed Tonks a paper bag.

"Each one's the same as 5 espressos,"

"a bag of sugar,"

"two bars of Honeyduke's and"

"a healing potion." They finished together. Tonks took the bag from Fred.

"Thanks boys," she said with a smile. "That's sweet of you."

The pair ran off to catch up with their parents. Tonks looked up at Remus as she popped what looked like an orange minstrel into her mouth.

"Can you do me a favour?" she asked.

"Anything."

"Could you go and get my letters? I want to check something." Tonks sent a knowing look at Kingsley.

"I, er, that is to say I don't, erm," Remus floundered. Tonks beamed.

"You don't have a clue where I kept them do you?"

"Uh, well, no," Remus said, clearing his throat and pulling at the sleeves of his cardigan.

"I knew it!" Cried Tonks, positively bouncing. "These are really good, anyone want one?"

She offered the paper bag round but they all declined. She sucked on another, then returned suddenly to her point.

"I should have known you wouldn't go through my stuff," she squeeled, throwing her arms around Remus' neck and kissed him hard on the cheek. Kingsley coughed and elbowed Bill in the ribs, nodding towards the door. He took the hint and they quickly left the two of them alone. Tonks hung back a little, tucking a strand of his greying blonde hair behind his ear. He looked so fragile just before the full moon, so delicate, so beautiful. And yet Remus was without a doubt the strongest man she knew.

"Why didn't you say something?" she whispered.

"How could I have?" Remus sighed. "You're you, and I'm just, well, me."

"That's the best reason I can think of _for_ telling me you great pillock," she said, and kissed the tip of his nose. He smiled and pulled her close, a few happy tears tumbling down his cheek, landing in her now long black hair.

"If only Harry could see us," Tonks chuckled. "If he knew what we were up to while he's stuck with those awful people."

"I should get you to the hospital," he said quietly.

"Probably," she whispered, taking in the scent of his hair; musty, with hints of chocolate and his menthol shampoo. They sighed together. A figure appeared in the doorway.

"I don't think leaving is a very good idea," said an extremely pale Arthur, waving a piece of parchment. "They're here."


	18. Death and Desperation

Author's Note: Ack! I know I said I'd finish this before HBP but I got a new job and I failed my degree an so on. Anyway, I'm almost finished the whole thing now, the rest will be up ASAP. For those of you that care, I'm also working on a NT/RL/SB fic series entitled 'Gooseberries', and an as yet untitled SS/NT/RL uber-fic, which I shall post once this is complete.

For everyone who's finished HBP: page 582 (uk) rawks beyond belief! We were right! dances

Mirror, Mirror

Chapter Eighteen: Death and Desperation

The order, minus Dumbledore, reassembled quickly and sombrely in the living room. Kingsley had taken the floor in Dumbledore's absence. Arthur passed him the parchment and sat down beside Molly. Kingsley proceeded to read the letter aloud for the benefit of those who had not read it in the kitchen.

"Dear Members of the Order of the Phoenix

I trust you are all well. I feel I should inform you all that your headquarters are currently surrounded. The entire floo network is currently disabled. The skies are being patrolled. We have taken the muggles of Grimmauld Place hostage, all forty seven of them. They happen to be mostly women and children.

What we propose is the exchange of these muggles for your humble selves. We shall release them only when the entirety of the order of the phoenix is out of the building. This is not negotiable. Do not attempt to leave until instructed. You are intelligent enough to realise the consequences of disobeying.

Yours truly,"

The letter had been signed with a dark mark. Tonks elation quickly deflated. Hostages; that was a new one, were they that desperate? That didn't matter right now. The muggles were all that mattered.

"No wonder it was quiet earlier," Remus mumbled half to himself. Tonks nodded.

"Can we still send word to the ministry?" Arthur asked.

"Probably, but it'll be tricky," said Kingsley. "The floo network _is_ down, we could send a disillusioned owl, it wouldn't be spotted in this weather."

Moody nodded. "I'll see to that," he said, shuffling out of the room. Remus bowed his head, taking Tonks' hands in his. Molly looked close to tears, Arthur and the elder Weasley boys were startlingly pale. Kingsley kept pulling at his earring. Mundungus was examining the contents of his pockets over and over again. The room was silent save for the distant thud of Moody's leg on the stone of the kitchen floor. It stopped for a moment, an owl chirped. Then the uneven thudding resumed. Moody re-entered the room carrying another piece of parchment.

"I've sent for back-up, and , er," he said, then nodded at the new letter. He cleared his throat and read.

"Dear members of the order of the phoenix,

You have now had sufficient time to consider your situation. We shall expect you to be outside within the next ten minutes. Have your wands where we can see them.

You may wish to look out of the window. If you do not comply, expect more of the same."

The second Moody had finished reading, everyone headed for the window looking out onto the street. They walked calmly, not really wishing to know what lay outside. Their apprehension was well founded. On the ground barely five meters away from the house, lay the mangled bloody remains of several muggle women. The actual number of casualties was indistinguishable. Had Remus eaten anything that day, he would have thrown up. Tonks had to steady herself on Kingsley to stop herself collapsing. So much death in one day, and they knew there would be more to come.

"So what happens now?" asked a timid Percy.

"What the hell do you think?" Tonks exploded. "We go out there, save those muggles and probably die in the process."

With that she headed for the front door, pulling her wand from her jeans.

The others followed suit behind her as she threw the door open and stepped into the street, their wands raised above their heads. They were hit by the stench of congealing blood before they had all left the building. Tonks followed the line of the street with her eyes until they came upon a crowd of dark hooded figures. The order were vastly outnumbered, they would have to pray that help came in time. Once they were all in the open, a death eater nodded to someone out of sight. Another death eater emerged from an alley-way, dragging a long line of muggles, all bound by glowing blue cords. Arthur and Kingsley stepped forward, took the end of the magical restraints and began leading the muggles down the road to safety.

"Ah, I see you managed to escape my dear Ymp," came the voice of Rodulphus Lestrange. Tonks saw red.


	19. Black Hearts

Author's note: another update, much yayness! Please r&r, it gives you warm fuzzy feelings (and I read your stuff too!) Ta

Mirror, Mirror

Chapter Nineteen: Black Hearts

"HOW DARE YOU CALL ME THAT!" she screamed running towards him, and sent a silent curse through the air. He blocked her curse with ease.

"Stupefy," he muttered, freezing Tonks mid-run. She toppled forwards, smacking her head on the pavement. She could feel blood trickling down her paralysed face.

"Now now, Nymphadora, we don't want anyone to get hurt now do we?" Rodolphus said, sneering at her, not noticing that Remus had stepped forward and was aiming his wand at him. With a whispered curse, he sent Rodolphus flying through the air, knocking over his fellow death eaters like skittles. Remus quickly un-stupified Tonks and helped her to her feet as all hell broke loose.

Spells of all colours flew across the street, flashing bright against the blackened sky. Some hit their targets, others hit someone else, others missed entirely. They began pairing off into their separate duels, as a disappointing number of Tonks and Kingsley's colleagues arrived. If this was the cavalry, the order were well and truly doomed.

Tonks fired a stunner at Bellatrix. She ducked, the spell hitting an unsuspecting junior auror square in the back. Bella sent one back in Tonks' direction.

"It doesn't have to be like this Nymphadora," Bella shouted through the chaos. "You're a Black at heart."

Tonks face hardened.

"_Crucio_," she whispered. Bellatrix was caught off guard and doubled over in pain, her face contorted. Tonks stood over her aunt, wand raised.

"Well look at that," she said, kicking Bellatrix hard in the face. "So I am."

Bella's wand had fallen from her hand and lay a few feet away. She scrambled towards it on her hands and knees, blood streaming down her face. Just as her white fingers clasped around the contrasting wood, Tonks' blood smeared boot fell upon them. Bellatrix yelped and tried to recoil but Tonks' foot only pressed harder. She bent down and picked up her aunt's battered old wand and snapped it clean in two. Over Bellatrix's head, Kingsley was duelling with Rodolphus and he was winning. He finished off Bella's husband as she watched helpless. No sooner had Kingsley done so, he was engaging with another death eater, but he was badly wounded and was now at the disadvantage. Across the road Molly was doing surprisingly well against a rather tall skinny young man Tonks was sure she'd met at work.

Tonks raised her wand above the cowering shell of Bellatrix. This was for Alice and Frank and Neville, for Andromeda and Edward, for Narcissa, for Draco and for Sirius.

"Tourjous pur," Tonks spat. "_Avada Kadavra_."

A bolt of green shot from Tonks' wand with a fury all it's own, hitting Bellatrix and smashing her limp body into Molly Weasley, knocking her unconscious. Ironically, unconsciousness generally being the safest state of being during battle, Tonks didn't have time to worry about her. Two death eaters had Remus cornered amongst the rubble of a partially collapsed garden wall. Tonks hurled a stunning spell at a large death eater in her way, and ran down the road towards Remus. Already weakened by the impending full moon, he was no match for the two men. He was bleeding profusely from a wound to his shoulder, but he fought on regardless, inflicting a surprising amount of damage. Tonks fired off spells at his assailants, taking them by surprise. One fell quickly, the other took some considerable effort but fell also. By the time Tonks reached Remus, he looked paler than ever, slumped against the remaining portion of wall. Tonks healed his wounds as best she could, wishing she'd taken the advance healing course at work instead of basic first aid. After her best efforts, he was bleeding less, but still bleeding. She tore strips from the bottom of her shirt and bound them tightly round his shoulder. She dug around in Remus' blood soaked pockets and pulled out a half-eaten bar of chocolate. She broke off a chunk and popped into his mouth. She put the rest of the bar into his good hand and kissed him, tears running down her face. Tonks dragged Remus around the edge of the wall, out of sight and out of harm. The door to the nearby house was open, Tonks spotted a coat rack, ran inside and took one from the hook. She went back to Remus and pulled the jacket around him. She brushed a strand of grey-blonde hair from his scarred face and kissed him again.

"I won't be long, promise," she whispered, and ran back into the fray wiping away her tears. She didn't know how much longer she could go on. Tonks had been close to death only a few hours previously and little had changed. But she had to go on, she had to see it through.


End file.
